Control panels, e.g., provided within a cockpit of an aircraft, include a plurality of panel openings for receiving instruments therein. FIG. 1A shows an exemplary panel opening 92 that may be provided in a control panel 90 and having an octagonal shape, e.g., a generally rectangular or square shape defined by vertical and horizontal sides 94 but with diagonal corners 96. Generally, holes 98 are provided adjacent the corners 96 for receiving screws or other fasteners therethrough.
Turning to FIG. 1B, an instrument 100 may be mounted in the panel opening 92, e.g., using screws 102 received through the holes 98 (not shown in FIG. 1B). As shown, the instrument 100 has a round dial 104 and a face plate 106 that abuts the control panel 90 when the instrument 100 is mounted.
Generally, instrument 100 may include a box (not shown) behind the dial 104 that extends through the panel opening 92 into the space behind the control panel 90. The box may include components for operating the instrument 100 and/or for receiving information and/or providing information to other parts of the aircraft. For example, the box may include a cathode ray tube (“CRT”) that provides an image to the dial 104, electronic circuits, mechanical components, and the like. Alternatively, the instrument 100 may be mounted through the panel opening 92 from behind the control panel 90. For example, the dial 104 may be sufficiently small to extend through the opening 92, with the box and other portions of the instrument 100 secured to the back of the panel 90 or otherwise behind the panel 90.
More recently, flat panel displays (“FPDs”) have been suggested to replace older instruments, such as CRTs or mechanical gauges. FPDs, however, may not be made economically with the four corners removed or rounded, e.g., due to the external circuits extending along at least two edges of the displays. Consequently, if a square or rectangular display is to be mounted within a panel opening, the display must be smaller than the panel opening, which may substantially reduce the active image area of the display available for displaying information.
Further, a box is generally required for carrying the electronics for operating a FPD or other display. The box may be mounted behind the control panel before the PFD is mounted over the panel opening. Once the box is mounted, however, it may be difficult to make any necessary connections between the box and the FPD and/or to secure the FPD to the control panel.
Accordingly, apparatus and methods for mounting a display to a control panel would be useful.